Just for Fun

Tobi Hughes·
News Blog

Let me know once you are able to return to Madeira, what is one of the things you are looking forward to the most.

It could be a favourite restaurant, a favourite place to go visit on the island or see someone you have been missing.

Let me know in the comments below.

I can’t wait just to get out and be able to have my morning coffee, and also have a drive around the island. I think I also need another little break on Porto Santo….

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Tobi Hughes

68 Responses

      1. Well not only Poncha as my second post says but right now at 3pm, yep ???. Thank you for all you do, it’s great.

  2. A stay at the suite hotel eden mar absolute bliss
    The sooner the present crisis is over the better.

  3. Looking forward to seeing our friends at House Jazz, we play Robin’s CD’s and drink a glass of red and pretend

  4. Poncha, old town, our friends. After that just anything, far to many things to list. Poncha No2 bar, with ice x 2. Makes life feel like living.

  5. Afternoon Tobi. Well hoping to return in December for our 4th Christmas on your Beautiful Island. We are looking forward to walking in the Old Town
    having a Ginja / eating at many of our Favourite Restaurants. IN Old Town especially O RegoOnal. ( Scabbard Fish !! + Caramel Pudding ). Hearing Marco and his Folklore Group play Thier traditional tunes.
    Also seeing yourself and Neilio again. ?

  6. To sit with my lovely friends at Bar Rodrigues and drink poncha. To chat face to face and laugh and hug them and kiss them goodbye xx

      1. With our friend, jao, in four vieuw oasis to be. Our heart is in Madeira. Its our second home?

  7. Forgot Room 123 Pestana Charlton Beach club, when the sun rises and the days fun starts. Sunset is even better.

  8. First a coffee with certain person to say thank you for everything they’ve done and then,
    1. A meal and drinks at our favourite local, Atalaia II,
    2. A walk through the Funchal streets and up through the Parque de Santa Catarina overlooking the ocean,
    3. Bus up to Ribeiro Frio and the Levada walks to the lookout point vistas to the north of the island.

    And anyone wishing to join me on any of these is most welcome.

  9. To breathe the sweet perfumed air that is Madeira and hear the locals speaking Portuguese and seeing their happy faces.

  10. “My ” lovely apt in the Beach Club, waking up to the sound of the sea, drinking coffee in Cafe Funchal listening to Juan’s guitar, seeing flowers everywhere….

  12. I miss the shopping. Not for the fashions, the shoes, the touristy things, but the every day shopping for meat, fish, fruit and veg to keep us going when we self cater. I have a very pleasant chat with the shop keeper, even if not always understood, we get by. Thinking about it, it is perhaps not what I’m buying (although that can prove to be interesting), but the people I miss. They make shopping a pleasure, not a chore.

  13. A meal at the Case de Penha restaurant has been the one highlight of our visits to Madeira,
    over the last 18 years we have only missed once.

    1. We love strolling along the front and then sitting and people watching ?

      Strolling round to Bar O Avô and having lunch and a few Corals.

  15. We come to Madeira every year for 6 weeks Jan and February. We have already booked to come again for 2021. Hope we can still come and enjoy your wonderful island.

  16. Hi Tobi,
    Keep up the good work regarding the latest news from the Island. We cannot wait to return.

  17. Oh, when we return a week at the Pastana studios, with a lovely walk into town through the gardens watching the cruise ships on the way to eat at the motzart restaurant, quirky but lovely.

  18. Definitely Leenos, first port of call. Then a stroll round the Lido Area to look out to sea.

  19. Sitting in the botanical garden at Quinta Jardins do Lago and feeding bananas to Colombo

  20. Banking over the sea and watching the island appear like magic out of seemingly nowhere…… knowing we’re nearly there
    The red terracotta roofs
    Deep ink blue sea
    The distinct Madeira scent as you step off the plane
    Pizza, salad and that first glass of Planalto at Pizza Carbonara on our first night
    Seeing friends and exchanging kisses and hugs and all the news
    Poncha! Gin and Tonic in swimming pool size glasses
    Walking, walking, walking in a unique breathtaking landscapes high above the sea and clouds
    Tobi Tours! Even the singing on the way home!
    Balcony days in the sun
    Classical concerts played by world class musicians
    Exploring more hide away places in secrete corners
    Colour! Flowers, trees, plants, paintings, clothes, fruit, vegetables, wines, sunshine, rainbows …. it’s everywhere ….
    Laughter, love and friendship most of all

  21. A return to the Enotel near the Estrada Monumental where we have many wonderful memories already and look forward to many more with the fine staff they employ.

  22. Seeing and hugging all my wonderful friends at the Monte Mar Palace Hotel and other places in Ponta Delgada.

  23. Eating at the Sabor da India, coffees at the harbour (watching the world go by) and meeting old friends. Can’t wait to return.

  24. Strolling to town through Santa Catarina park, enjoying the sunshine and the fantastic views, sitting at a pavement café drinking coffee and watching the world go by. Hope we can come back later this year – fingers crossed!

  26. Sitting at Largo do Socorro at the bar barreirinha hear the DJ and the weaves of the sea

  27. Joe’s Cocktail Bar by Quinta de Penha de Franca. Best cocktails ever! And our wonderful friends who work there.

  28. Looking forward to seeing my friend Nico from UMM and heading up to the mountains. Lunches at Bar Ideal and meals at O tapassol. Too many things to list!

    1. O Tapassol and Le Jardin. 22years with Silva, Paulo , and all the wonderful team and owners. I send them our best wishes and hope to see them soon. Guys if you are reading this Tim and Gill Lynch send you our best wishes. Silva you have my email address. Send me a message. ?

  31. There is just so much to miss but while the comments are made regarding food and drink just let me add Restaurante Polar in Camara de Lobos for the best ever espetada
    An authentic pastel de nata and best of all a maracuja poncha.

  32. Sitting enjoying a great coffee at Bar da Praia in Calheta on a sunny day. ☕☀?

  33. I just booked a return to Madeira last week of October and 1st week November. Hopefully the Corona has disappeared then I will be staying this time in São Jorge and find new Levada walks to do. I love the smell of the island and it’s friendly people.

  34. The whole experience of just being in Madeira starting with the contentment as soon as the plane lands and that feeling of “yes, we’re home” even though we no longer live there ? It will then be getting settled in our accommodation and then going to visit our many friends in all of our once local bars ? We had been really looking forward to spending a week in the middle of March which was cancelled so we are now hoping to get back just as soon as we are allowed to even though we know we will then not want to leave again ???

  35. Like others, just the plane coming in is wonderful, knowing we’ll soon be back at the Royal Savoy and able to see some of the friends we’ve made there and our Madeiran friends too. I shall enjoy food shopping and eating Madeiran bananas again, and eating at Londres in town and Portão, our favourite restaurant in the Old Town, as well as Casal da Penha near the RS. We’ve already booked our flights for January 2021 in anticipation of celebrating my husband’s 90th birthday while we’re there. Let’s hope and pray we all stay safe and well until then.

  36. P.S. And how could I forget walking up to Barreirinha for coffee, their great herb tea and pastel de nata and enjoying the sunshine. Quite our favourite spot. Just a pity we never got ( the millions!) to buy up and refurbish that big house with the fabulous views! But it’s good to see it transformed from that sad wreck. Now all we want is to be invited inside!

    1. I usually walk up that way and too was upset to see that abandoned house. The I saw them start work on the renovations and its final completion. I could not figure out why it had been left for so long to deteriorate the way it did. There are quite a few other properties in that area in a similar predicament.

    2. Couldn’t agree more. Waited for my lottery win to buy it. Then it was sold. They have done a very good job on it.

  37. Walking along the coastal path from The Grand into the old town. And dinner at O’Dragerio…

  38. Taking the public bus from Funchal to Porto Moniz, great way to see the island.

  39. The drive from the airport – the first glimpse of Funchal
    Staying in Santa Lucia
    The views
    Bica
    The restaurants – Restaurante do Forte Sao Tiago, Goya, Casa Madeirense, Designcenter Nini Andrade etc
    Maritimo – ESTADIO DOS BARREIROS – MARITIMO!!
    Pingo Doce
    Parque de Santa Catarina
    Bus nr. 20 -21
    Madeira Holiday Flats
    Rua da Carne Azeda
    madeirense people
    The dogs!

  40. Having a nice cup of coffee and custard doughnuts sitting people watching with a coral and the friendly local bars a pizza at papamanuel and passion fruit pudding.??

  41. 1. Paragliding at sunset from Cabo Girao to Funchal (didn’t get to do last time because of lack of wind, just over Calheta).
    2. People watching while having a cappuccino at Golden Gate or Ritz Café, accompanied by pasteis de nâta.
    3. Hiking to Pico Ruivo and Pico Arieiro.
    4. Beautiful levada walks.
    5. Espetada at O Polar.
    6. Staying at Quinta de Casa Branca with their beautiful gardens.
    7. Dinner at my favorite restaurant: Armazém do Sal.
    8. Dinner with Linda and her friends from Eatwith and the best gin and tonic I’ve ever had.
    Madeira rainbows ? ? ?

  42. 6 of us are booked to return again to the lovely vidamar resort 1st June this year,doubt we will be able but hopefully holiday can be rearranged for later in the year. We all love Madeira x

  43. Trip to Aki to get the curtain tracks we ordered so we can put our curtains up at the villa we just spent three months renovating and had to leave to return uk for hospital appointment.
    Also a drink with our dear friends, particularly friends and staff at Quintinha Sao Joao where over 20 years of visits we fell in love with the Island.
    And of course Tobi my promise for you to choose the most expensive drink on the shelf on us.
    I urge all your followers to promote the island and help it recover as quickly as possible, us, we will be on the first available flight.
    Stay safe, stay well and stay positive.

  44. Sitting on the small terrace outside Number 2 Pub having wine and peanuts. Our live to all the staff there. Hoping against all hope to be there on 31st May.

  46. To return to the most beautiful hotel we have ever found: the Quinta Jardins do Lago. We have a reservation for the beginning of June which probably will not happen. Hopefully our second visit of the year in late September will happen. If we can amend our first holiday, then I would love to return in December to actually see in person the fantastic Christmas lights in Funchal.

  47. I just love Madeira.. it’s lovely friendly people.. delicious food.. clean streets.. beautiful scenery.. everything

  49. Seeing all our amazing friends of 30 years , and of course socialising in bar No2, with all the gang ..stay safe and hopefully see everybody in October .

  50. So much to list! The beautiful scenery, the levada walks, the friendly people, the delicious food (espada com marajuca!), the luscious drinks and the chance to practice (my still quite basic…) Portuguse. I have been every year (sometimes twice!) since 2000. Hope that I am able to visit later this year.

  52. Hoping our holiday booked for late September will be possible my husband and I love everything about the island the gardens the levada walks and the long bus rides keep safe and well

  53. I miss everything that Madeira does for my life, but most of all I really miss my wonderful Madeiran friends – every one of them. Can’t wait to see them all again. ❤️

  54. We have been to Madeira for the last two January’s. We love it. The people,food,having a morning out at sea, so many things. Can’t wait to come back xxx

  55. So many places to see again, or for the first time. I am in the U.S. because I mistepped getting my visa. I got 3 months of amazing island overload, and was to return to my family there the first week of April. so after this extended social distancing (I think the 3,000 miles is a bit much), the very first thing I will do is hug them for a very long time. I stay connected with them, and love to get all of the updates that you so diligently add here. after the first short list of have-to’s, I wish to take you up on buying you a chinesa, and hope your tours are still an option. in the mean time, all be well, wherever you are, keep up the awesome work Tobi!!!!!

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